Weather seal for double doors



Jan. 19, 1932. H. B. WUEBLING 1,841,868

WEATHER SEAL FOR DOUBLE DOORS Filed Julr l2, 1930 W a 5 gva/vento@ 36 3.4 Ha faq E. Waeb //Lq M5 a5? *9b Patented Jan. 19, 1932 earner ortica HARRY B. NUEBLINQ F CINCINNATI, OHIO WEATHER SEAL FOR DOUBLE DOORS kApplication filed July 12,

" VThe present invention relates to adjustable lastrzngal for double doors and has for an object the provision of mea-ns whereby adjustment of the seal forming means may be made without leaving any unsightly gap on the finish surface of the door.

Another object is to provide a seal for the meeting edges of double doors which is resilient so that it automatically accommodates itself to a limited amount ofshrinkage and swelling of the door.

Another objectV Vis to `provide adjustable astragalwhich is inexpensive of manufacture and which, in its preferred embodiment requires no notches or slots in the edge of the doors to which it is applied.

Another object is to provide astragal for doubledoors which isv applicable to both wooden doors and metal doors with a minimumof time and labor.

n These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front eleva-tion of a pair of double doors equipped with the astragal of `the invention.

' Fig. Qvis a view taken on line 2--2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental elevation taken on line 3 3 of Fig.- 2.

Fig. l is a. view showing a wood and metal construction embodying a modified form of the invention. i

Fig. 5 is aJ view showing an all metal modi fication of the device shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view showing a fiber metal construction embodying the invention. j

Fig. 7 shows the invention as embodied in a construction for use upon double acting double doors. f

In providing astragal or weather-strips on double doors, dilliculty'is often encountered in that shrinkage of the doors separates the sealing faces or edges of the strips so that they no longer meet and perform their function. The normal remedy for this has heretofore consisted in moving one or both strips on the double doors toward each other with the result that the effective seal is again established, but that narrow margin of the door which was uncovered' by the shifting of the strip is Serial No. 467,467.

either undecorated or it presents a very noticeable dierence in color or appearance in strong contrast to the remainder of the door. in many forms of astragal there is but a limited yielding or resiliency in the strips so that the strips, either because of wear or because of shrinkage and swelling of the door require rather Afrequent adjustment. This sometimes results in excessive mutilation of the door surface beneath a strip by the attaching screws.

The astragal of the present invention consists essentially in the provision of a finish and holding strip beneath which is the adjustable sealing strip which is of unusual resiliency so as to provide an effective seal without adj ustment during a relatively wide range orn shrinkage and swelling of the doors and also provides for the adjustment of the sealing strip to accommodate abnormal shrinkage through the simple expedient of providing elongated transverse slots in a part of the sealing strip which is concealed beneath the finish strip So that the ordinary attaching screws may be loosened to permit adjustment of the sealing strip'and the finish strip again tightly clamped without removing the screws and without exposing any unfinished or differently finished portion of the door.

This simple construction which provides for automatic self-adjustment of the astragal to variations within certain limits in the door spacing and simple expeditious adjustments to greater than usual variations in door spacing will be noted in each of the embodiments disclosed. Like reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts throughout the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings a pair of double doors 10 have secured on one face adjacent their meeting edges 11 strips 12 having elongated transverse slots 13 disposed at suitable intervals throughout their length. The strip 12 preferably lies Hush upon the outer face of the door so that the finish strip 11i or decorative strip whereby it is secured may completely conceal the maj or portion of the strip as well as the slots 13. The finish strip lthas perforations 15 coinciding with the longitudinal axes of the elongated slots 13 lat ' Fig. 2

in thesealing strip and serve to receive attaching screws 16, the heads of which clamp the finish strip 14 down upon the sealing strip and hold it in adjusted position. It should be noted then that the finish strip 14 is never shifted across the face of the door and that it has its longitudinal edge 17 always positioned just inside the line of the actual edge of the door and thus serves to effectively clamp the sealing strip effectively but yet leaves the operative portion of the sealing strip free to flex only at its unsecured edge. The sealing strip is preferably made of spring brass, phosphor-bronze or a metal having spring qualities of a kindred type. The operative or unelamped portion of the sealing etrfip is formed by bending the strip 12 at an obtuse angle at 18 to present a flexing edge and then backwardly upon itself at 19 from which bend the remainder 2O is curved downwardly to ride upon the outer face of finish strip 14. This extreme edge is preferably rolled or beaded las at 21 so that it will ride freely in opposite directions as the meeting edges 19 are compressed against one another upon closing of the doors. The astragal is uniform for both right-hand and left-hand edges of the meeting portions of the double doors. In Fig. 2 the doors are shown in closed position wherein the sealing strips 12 are both under compression, being flexed at 18 and pressing against one another along the sealing edge 19.

I`f desired the finish strip 14 may have a narrow turned-down edge at 22 in order to oompletely'house the'outer ends of the sealin strip 12.

nFi 4 there is shown the identical sealing str1 12 described in connection with ut in this embodiment a Wooden finish strip or molding 23 is used in lieu of the metal finish strip 14. f

In the embodiment shown in each of the Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 6 the slots 13 or their equivalents may extend entirely to the edge 24 of the sealing strip if desired. Likewise in the embodiment shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5' the sealing strips may have an aligned series of elongated spaced slots as shown at 25, Figs. 4 and 5. The purpose of such slots is to insure flexing immediately adjacent the corners 18 and also to permit of the insertion of a thin implement in order to pull the sealif@ strip outwardly when screws are loosened to make adjustment for shrinkage in the doors 10.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the finish strip 26 is made of rolled metal having the down-turned edge at 27 and an outextending curved member 28 providing an interiorly open housing, against the' inner wall of which the edge 29 of sealingl strip 30 may slide. In this embodiment the sealing strip is turned upon itself to provide a flat double thickness of metal having the adjustment slots 130 disposed in the same relative position as the slots 13 in the previously described embodiments. The sealing strip is thus made amply rigid throughout its Hattened portion and it therefore requires clamping only across a distance slightly in excess of the width of the slotted portion. The clamping is effected by the flattened portion of the finish strip 26 exclusive of the outwardly curved portion 28. The curved portion 28 may have a narrow downturned edge 31 which rides upon the flange 200 of sealing strip 30.

In each of the embodiments thus far described the free edge of the sealing strip is slidable upon and, in a fashion braced by the finish strip. Y

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 a finish strip 32 substantially like the finish strip 26 in the embodiment of Fig. 5 is employed and a metal strip is doubled upon itself to provide a flat arm 33 and a second arm 34 in spaced relation along the ed adjacent the meet-ing edges of the door, said arms 33 and 34 being pressed together to form a double thickness at 35 in which the transverse adjustment slots 13 cut. The spaced portion of the arms 33 and 34 have clamped/between them flattened rolls 36 of fabric, rubber or other yieldable composition. It is to be noted that in this embodiment also the resiliency of the actual sealing portion is effective from the point 180 which corresponds to the edge 18 in the previously described embodiments. The adjustment of this form of astragal is identical with the previously described forms.

At the left-hand side of Fig. 5 there is shown an adaptation wherein the sealing strip 300 is folded upon itself to provide a double thickness of metal across Vthe face portion of the door and then a double hook shaped portion 37 extending partly across the edge of the door and into a groove 38 in the edge of the door. This provides a longer resilient arm 39 which is capable oi still greater flexing than the corresponding portion of the other embodiments.

The embodiments shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are intended primarily for use with single `acting double doors. The embodiments shown in Fig. 6 is adaptable to both single and double acting double doors. In Fig. 7 there is shown a one-piece embodiment of the invention which is adapted especially for the typical swinging double acting single or double doors. In the latter embodiment a single resilient elongated strip 40 originally formed to assume a substantial semi-circle when unrestrained is provided the full length of the door. Rolled edges 41 are provided on the strips on each door, the edge 42 of which is usually arcuately trimmed. Spaced staggered truncated conical seats 43 are countersunk into the strip 40 on opposite sides of its longitudinal center for receiving in countersunk relation wood screws elf-i which partially straighten out the curve of the strips and resiliently hold the beads or turned edges el against the door. Proper adjustment of the screws leaves the central portions extending beyond the median line ofthe double acting double doors so that the springmetal members 40 exert sufficient compression against one another when the doors are in closed position to form a tight seal. In doing so the beads el each ride outwardly toward their adjacent faces of the associated doors and the conical bosses e3 move slightly along the Shanks of the screws del. rihus a normal amount of swelling of the doors causing a shortening of the distance between the yad-` jacent edges 42 thereof will be automaticallg,v compensated by the resiliency of the strips e0.

f the distance becomes so short as to cause the heads of the screws le on opposite doors to approach too closely one to the other, the screws may be driven inwardly a short distance (e. g. one-thirty-second of an inch) in order to remedy the situation. Likewise, if excessive shrinkage of the doors should occur the screws may be retracted snnciently to permit the arcuate portions to smoothly wipe over one another to form the seal.

ln each embodiment employing the metal sealing strips it will be noted that the meeting edges or noses l5 meet, the compressivaction is so directed as to cause a sliding movement of the free edges over the door or finish strip. This feature allows either of the double doors to be used without danger of destruction or disligurement of the sealing strip and also allows the resilient members to be cammed one over the other.

rlhe operation of the strips will be really understood from the foregoing description and may be briefly summarized by calling attention to the fact that the noses or sealing edges 19 and l5 of the strips on one door will always first engage the inclined portion adjacent the nose on the companion strio and effect a mutua-l flexing of the two strips as the doors are moved to a closed position and the actual sealing edges come into perfect sealing contact. It will also be understood that a moderate of sagging of the door from the vertical may be compensated without adjustment of the hinges by merely adjusting the lower or upper ends of a pair of sealing strips to assume a perfect mating relation throughout the length of the-doors.

It is to be understood that the weather seal of the invention is not restricted to use on the meeting edges of double doors, but has been essentially described in connection with double doors because of a marked absence of a wholly satisfactory device for use in connection with them. The device of the invention is applicable to any and all edges of hingedly mounted members where an effective e, prising a finish strip, means releasably securing said strip to door` and a sealing`r strip transversely slotted to receive the said securing means for adjustable clamping beneath the finish strip.

2. A. weather seal Jfor double ydoors comprising` a sealing strip having a flat portion to beclamped against an outer face of the door adjacent the edge` thereof, a `resilient integral portion bent out-wa dly and then inwardly to overhang the flat portion and means for mounting the sealing strip and.'

restricting its flexing movement to a location immediately adjacent the edge of the door.

3. ln a weather seal for double doors the combination of a permanently positioinibleVA ed to be clamped to the door byithe finish trim f and a second resilient portion bent outwardly adjacent the edge ol' the door andthen backward to overhang the said flat portion,

said overhanging portion being retrained to i hingedly mounted double doors the combi# nation of a pair of adjustable strips clamped one each along adjacent meeting edges of the doors, each strip having a resilient portion biased outwardly of the edge of its associated door to provide a meeting face and then turned baclrwardly to overhang the clamped portion of the strip and a iinish trim strip concealing the clamped portion of the adjustable strip and providing a sliding bearing for the free edge of the resilient portion thereof.

5. In a weather seal for hingedly mounted double doors the combination of a sealing strip secured upon each door at the edge thereoi"l and having a yielding portion biased outwardly to move through intersecting arcs as the doors are moved on their hinged mountings, each of said strips having a free edge constrained to slidable movement when the strip is subjected to flexing by its companion strip.

6. In a weather seal construction for hingedly mounted double doors the combination of metal strips secured one each on adjacent edges of said doors and having a resilient portion biased outwardly into the space bey tween the doors and having a free edge resiliently restrained to sliding Contact upon its mounting.

7. In a device of the class described the combination of a substantially fiat finish strip having spaced perforations therein, a sealing strip comprising a flat portion disposed beneath and concealed by the finish Strip and a resilient portion biased outwardl and then curved rearwardly providing a ce edge for slidable lnovement on the top of the finish strip and means whereby to rigidly and releasably secure` the finish strip Y and sealing strip upon the door, the sealing having transversely extending elongated apertures providing for adjustment thereof beneath the finish strip.

8. In a weather seal for double doors the combination of a sealing strip having a fiat portion with parallel transverse slots adjacent one edge, an integral resilient outwardly biased portion at its opposite longitudinal edge, said resilient portion being turned backwardly and downwardly to overhang and slidably contact the fiat portion, said resilient portion being intermittently slotted to effect a localized line of flexing thereof, and a finish strip recessed along one edge providing a face for clamping the sealin strip to a door, the recessed portion slidabiy housing the backwardly turned resl'ient portion of the sealing strip.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto .subscribed my name this 9th day of July,

HARRY B. WUEBLING. 

